First time winterizing observations

[Lazy Daze]

Let's Rock: could be that the motor's impeller is shot. If it's one of those $30 12v powered thingies - well, half the time they stop working after the first time. The packaging makes them look great, but...

Personally, I have a vacuum sucker. I like it because I don't need power and it holds 8 quarts. It takes about 3 minutes for it to pull out warm oil. Google MityVac 7201.

 

[Kermit]

Kermit - it sounds like you're on the right track. Do you have 4 or 2 exhaust hoses (goes to risers) coming off your t-stat housing? I think you have 4. Either way, it doesn't matter which hose you use (per side). You won't "overflow" the hose unless you hold it lower than the high point inside the riser/elbow. If you hold the hose higher than that "high point" then, if you listen closely, you can here the AF splash onto the ground outside the boat.

That's normal for one side of the exhaust to take more than the other (the first one starts to fill up the other side a bit).

Don't forget to put some AF through your intake hose. It's the "oddball size" -- other than the block hose -- on the housing. That ensures that your power steering cooler is flushed of any standing water. Fill the hose till it fills up (again - you'll hear it on the outside - it comes out through the intakes on the drive). Let it settle for about 30 seconds and then do it again.

Always grab the filter by the base - much, much less likely to crush there. Since your oil is black, it could be that it hasn't been changed in a while - and hence the filter hasn't been off. You might want to do another oil change after a few hours of running next season. Or, maybe even a "half" oil change after a few hours, then another "half" after some more hours.

Metal shaving are not abnormal.

I have two hoses off the t-stat housing to the bottom of the risers. The third hose is the large water pump hose. The other two riser hoses go to a single T fitting that then drops a third hose to the single point drain housing. The intake hose from the PS/fuel pump cooler also goes to the single point drain housing.

Here is a link to my setup:

http://www.mercurypartsexpress.com/us/parts-search.html#epc::mc2485431mr1150ar5222